GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. – The Grand Valley State Lakers started off the 2022 cross country season competing in the Knight Invite at Calvin University. Fifteen runners ran for GVSU this morning (Sep. 10^th) at Gainey Athletic Complex in Grand Rapids, Mich. where the women competed in a 6k race and the men an 8k race.
 
A total of ten teams were in attendance at the Knight Invite in both the men's and women's racing categories with 143 men and 130 women participating. The Laker men scored a total of 51 team points overall, awarding them a second place finish and the Laker women a total of 107 points finishing in fourth place. 
 
A total of eight GVSU runners (men and women) finished in the Top 20 at the Knight Invite where freshman, Maria Widmann took fourth place in the women's 6k with a time of 22:32 finishing the highest for all GVSU runners. Following behind her was sophomore, Caleb Swart who finished with a time of 26:26 placing sixth overall in the men's 8k. 
 
Freshman, Jude Parks and Bentley Alderson finished back to back for the men's team with a ninth and tenth place finish crossing the line at 26:33 (Parks) and 26:37 (Anderson). Maggie O'Malley was the second GVSU Laker to finish for the women, placing eleventh overall with a time of 23:21.5. 
 
Head Coach, Jerry Baltes stated, "Caleb Swart looked really good up front on the guy's side and for the women Maria Widmann looked really really strong. So we get out of here and most of them will bounce back next week at Michigan State."
 
The Lakers head to East Lansing, Mich. next weekend (Sept. 16^th) to compete in the Spartan Invitational where they plan to utilize the majority of the squad.